But between preparations for those high-stakes efforts, the president took time out Monday to promise new economic proposals were in the works, telling reporters in the Rose Garden, "Every single day, I'm pushing this economy forward, repairing the damage that's been done to the middle class over the past decade and promoting the growth we need to get our people back to work."

Ever since the passage of the massive health-care bill early this year, the White House has been promising a single-minded focus on the economy and job creation. To Democratic leaders, the need for a singular, presidential focus has grown more urgent as their political prospects this fall have dimmed. A daily Gallup poll tracking preference for party control of Congress found Republicans on Monday with a 10-point advantage over Democrats, 51%-41%, the largest spread in the history of the poll. (VIDEO)